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Interesting, but I have a hard time wrapping my mind around that theory. The way I interpret what he is saying is that we live in a world similar to the movie Avatar...that we are all somehow connected in consciousness with the planetary surroundings, plants, and animals..perhaps in a cosmic sense too.
I tend to believe that some memory transfer happen at a DNA level, or during gestation....if at all.

First of all I'd like to make a correction, Rupert Sheldrake is actually the person talking. Ralph Abraham is also in this film, but he's a mathematician.

I feel some trepidation in discarding the theory for a few reasons, one of which is that Rupert does own a PH.D. in biochemistry from Cambridge University, another of which is because he's close friends with Terence McKenna, someone whom I consider somewhat of a personal guru throughout my life. Most importantly though is Carl Jung's work on the collective unconscious which I hold in high regard, which this seems to fall in line with.

Also I haven't seen Avatar, so I can't comment on that, but if there isn't memory transfer through DNA, then how would you explain instinctual behavior in animals and plants?

First of all I'd like to make a correction, Rupert Sheldrake is actually the person talking. Ralph Abraham is also in this film, but he's a mathematician.

I feel some trepidation in discarding the theory for a few reasons, one of which is that Rupert does own a PH.D. in biochemistry from Cambridge University, another of which is because he's close friends with Terence McKenna, someone whom I consider somewhat of a personal guru throughout my life. Most importantly though is Carl Jung's work on the collective unconscious which I hold in high regard, which this seems to fall in line with.

Also I haven't seen Avatar, so I can't comment on that, but if there isn't memory transfer through DNA, then how would you explain instinctual behavior in animals and plants?

You should watch the movie. I thought it was very thought provoking.
The person talking is obviously more qualified to present his theories. I am not debunking them. I just have a hard time accepting them. He might be right.
Instincts and memory, probably to very small degree, could happen during gestation in a mechanical sense using DNA...and possibly RNA. RNA is a type of messenger, so it could be possible that instincts could be a message. I will research it and try to find a better answer.